Bengaluru kambala: Court adjourns hearing to November 5

The Karnataka High Court, led by Chief Justice NV Anjaneya and Justice KV Aravind, heard a public interest petition on Wednesday filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The petition seeks directives to the state government to refrain from granting permission for the Kambala event.

During the hearing, lawyers representing the Kambala Committee stated that no Kambala event is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on October 26. Consequently, the court has adjourned the hearing to November 5, indicating that the government’s arguments and the petitioners’ objections would be considered at that time.

Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty, representing the state government, argued that organizing Kambala in Bengaluru would necessitate the transportation of buffaloes from Mangaluru and Udupi, which the petitioners claim could lead to animal cruelty.
However, he noted that horses for races are brought from other states without any issues.

The court is now considering whether Kambala should only be conducted in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. It was emphasized that Kambala is not limited to these areas; rather, it is a cultural event representing all of Karnataka, and now is an opportunity to introduce it to the rest of the country.

Additionally, records from the previous year’s legal permission granted for the Bengaluru Kambala will be presented in court. The Advocate General assured that any decisions made by the government regarding this issue would be communicated to the court.

Petitioners request notification on permissions

Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, representing the petitioners, stated that the government should inform them regarding the permissions needed to conduct Kambala competitions. This would enable them to respond accordingly in court. He also mentioned that discussions are underway to organize Kambala in Shivamogga after Bengaluru, with another event reportedly planned near the Pilikula Biological Park in Dakshina Kannada on November 9. The park’s director has expressed concerns about the noise from the event affecting other animals.

No Kambala scheduled for October 26 in Bengaluru

As the hearing commenced, M. Vinod Kumar, representing the Bengaluru Kambala Committee, clarified that no Kambala competition will be held at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on October 26, and that no applications have been submitted to the relevant authorities for conducting Kambala elsewhere. He explained that the petitioners approached the High Court based on media reports.

The court will take up the matter for further consideration on November 5.